A Sioux City man was jailed Sunday on suspicion of setting fire to his next-door neighbors' house because they hadn't mowed his lawn as requested.
Lee Bowman, 53, was arrested on charges of first-degree arson and second-degree criminal mischief. He is being held in the Woodbury County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Police and firefighters were called to a home in the 3100 block of Eighth Street at 5:57 p.m. Fire investigators found sticks and plywood propped up against the house and evidence that gas had been used in lighting the fire, which caused an estimated $3,000 in damage to the siding, wall and interior of the home.
According to court documents, video captured Bowman visiting the home at 4:21 p.m. to ask the residents when they were going to mow his lawn. Bowman was upset because he had asked them to mow his lawn the day before, and they hadn't. After speaking with the residents, he attempted to peel the registration sticker off of one of the residents' vehicles.
During an interview with police, Bowman admitted he saw the house burning, but he didn't call 911 because it wasn't any of his business. Instead, he sat behind his house and watched as a neighbor noticed the fire and alerted the residents. The plywood and sticks came from Bowman's home, court documents said, and Bowman said he used gas from a lawnmower.
Sioux City man set fire to neighbors' house because of unmowed lawn, police say
During an interview with police, the man admitted he saw the house burning, but he didn't call 911 because it wasn't any of his business. Instead, he sat behind his
